Tim Cook

The Apple employees in question claim that they were forced to endure demoralizing searches, as managers took time to inspect employee devices and compare their serial numbers with the devices they were authorized to use.

Apple is facing strong opposition from the U.S. in its bid to block an antitrust monitor appointed in an e-books pricing case from interviewing top executives including Apple CEO Tim Cook and board member Al Gore.

Companies that hold crucial patents look at patent trolls and sneer. But then again, Apple Inc. General Counsel Bruce Sewell likely looks at all those other companies and says those companies have it easy.